A Valparaiso woman was killed on Tuesday when her vehicle was struck by a semi in an intersection of U.S. Highway 30 in Union Township, the Indiana State Police said.

The victim was identified as Maria L. Fry, 43.

According to police, at 12:44 p.m. trucker Roberto Sanchez, 52, of Charlotte, N.C., was westbound on U.S. 30 and approaching the intersection of C.R. 600W when, he advised, he had an uncontrollable coughing fit.

Sanchez “then realized the light for westbound U.S. 30 had turned red and was unable to stop” before hitting Fry, who was southbound on C.R. 600W in her SUV, police said.

The impact of the collision caused both Sanchez’s rig and Fry’s SUV to cross the grassy median and come to rest in the two left lanes of eastbound U.S. 30.

Fry died at the scene, police said. Neither Sanchez nor his co-driver—the latter asleep at the time in the cab’s sleeper berth—was injured, police said.

Sanchez’s semi was owned by Old Dominion of Thomasville, N.C., and was loaded with general freight. There was no load loss.

All westbound lanes of U.S. 30 were closed for cleanup and reconstruction. The ISP’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, the Porter County Coroner’s Office, and the Union Township Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the scene.

Posted 4/11/2012